Sunset looms for Bowes
Hawks showing interest in playmaker
GOLD Coast playmaker Jack Bowes has emerged as a trade target for Hawthorn as he weighs up his future with the Suns.
The No.10 pick from the 2016 draft has attracted interest from several clubs including the Hawks and Crows after an injury-marred season.
Talks on his future are expected to ramp up next week as the Suns prepare to make some aggressive moves in a bid to prime the list for a shot at a finals berth next season.
Gold Coast has been forced to pay a premium price for its slew of high draft picks and is prepared to be bold in next month’s exchange period to help free up salary cap space for other strategic targets.
Bowes has shown a lot of promise as a silky defendermidfielder across six seasons and remains contracted to the club until the end of 2024.
The Cairns product is on a healthy wage for the next two seasons and could be part of a salary-dumping exercise that clubs including Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney have performed to help reset their lists.
The Suns remain happy to keep Bowes for next year, and will make a call depending on the level of interest from rival clubs and other moves.
He averaged 21 disposals a game last year and will begin to enter the prime of his career next year as a ready-made playmaker.
Adelaide is expected to land jet forward Izak Rankine, while Brayden Fiorini could head to Collingwood.
Hawthorn’s Tom Mitchell meanwhile has shown interest in moving to Collingwood but any deal with the Magpies remains a long way off.
Bowes, 24, endured a difficult year, playing only five games on the back of a preseason shoulder injury that required surgery. But the 83gamer is highly rated for his ball use and is on Hawthorn’s radar as Sam Mitchell looks to rejuvenate an ageing midfield.
In particular the Hawks want to attract more players with precise kicking skills to help execute the attacking game style that Mitchell has begun to implement.
Hawthorn’s field kicking is rated 12th in the competition based on Champion Data’s kicking analysis.
It remains unclear what Gold Coast would want in return for Bowes but removing his salary from the club’s books would help alleviate some salary cap pressure.
Bowes could also loom large for Adelaide, which is also being aggressive after making a play for Suns star Rankine.